The Wind that Blew My Heart Away
by openasthesky
Summary: Everything is the same up until season 3. Nathan never took Haley back. He pushed her away, & eventually they went their separate ways. He went to Duke, & she went to Stanford. He's coming back to town, & she's shocked when she finds out why. NALEY
1. Chapter 1

AN: I don't own anything. All is property of Mark, CW, etc.

Wind. It's a familiar sensation for everyone. It an a be soft breeze or harsh storm. You can't see it, but you can feel it. I think the same goes for love. He's gone now, for four years now. The day I met him it was like a soft breeze, and the day he left me was like the harshest storm. I haven't seen him, but I can still feel him. And the love we shared four years ago.

Nathan and I met because he hated my best friend who is also his brother. He was trying to hurt him through me. It started off as innocent, and a way to help my best friend. It changed as I found myself falling for the real him. He was kind, but didn't want anyone to know it. He was sweet, even if he acted tough for the outside world. He was human like everyone else even when he wanted people to think otherwise. With me, he was all those things and more.

Eventually, we got married. Yes, married. Yes, we were still high school. But we loved each other. It was good thing, in fact, it was great. It helped him and his brother bond. I even got closer with Brooke and Peyton because of it. Life was wonderful, until we started realizing our dreams were bigger than ourselves. We desperately tried to cling to each other, trying to forget those dreams. It didn't work. I left on a tour to make my singing dreams come true, but in the process I lost him. I came back, but he went after his dreams. I understood though because I loved him. He came back, but he pushed me away. I fought for us, but he just gave up on us. I wonder if it was his pride that was stopping us from getting that second chance, or maybe I was too scared to realize that maybe he really stopped loving me.

It's four years later. I've graduated from Stanford. I live in Tree Hill. I teach English at the very same high school we met in. But most of all, I still miss him. I miss him every single second. Most of time, it's something that is in the back of my mind. Always there. Waiting. Other times, it hits me. The regret sets in, and I can't stand to be in my own skin. I have friends and family here. Lucas, Brooke, and Peyton have been amazing. They've really been here for me. I still feel empty though. I guess nothing could ever fill the void of him.

Other than that life's been good. I'm still Haley James, tutor girl. Just a little bit jaded. I live with Brooke and Peyton in this cute little house by the river. I have a great relationship with my best friend, Lucas. So, today I am making a vow to look on the bright side because today is the day that I received an invitation to Nathan Scott's wedding.

AN: Ok, so this is my first fic, ever. I finally had the courage to write and upload, so be gentle but honest. Thanks.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I don't own anything. All is property of Mark, CW, etc.

"So do you think she saw the mail?!" asked a worried Brooke.

Peyton held up two ivory lace envelopes. "Well, there were only two invitations addressed to us."

"That's true. I just can't believe he's actually getting married. I mean I always thought that he'd come back for her. Ya know, realize that Haley is the love of his life." Brooke rambled till she was out of breath.

"I think everyone thought that including Haley. Which is why we need to figure out how to break this to her. I mean how did he even get our address?" asked Peyton.

Brooke looked confused too. "I know, right? I, sure as hell, didn't give it out to anyone who would send it to Nathan. I know you would never do it either." Brooke gasped. "Do you think Lucas sent it?"

"Well it makes sense. Nathan and Lucas are brothers."

Peyton fingered the invitation carefully. "What do you think she's like? Her name's Lucy Bennett. Sounds kinda snooty."

Peyton looked up to hear keys jangling in the door, and tried to signal Brooke to keep quiet. The door flew open and Haley walked into the living room where Brooke and Peyton we're talking.

"P.Sawyer until we meet this chick, she's a man stealing ho as far as we're concerned. We're team Tutor Girl! I mean who does this girl…what? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Hey girlies!" greeted Haley, a little too brightly.

Brooke turned around surprised and hoped Haley didn't hear her rant about Nathan's soon-to-be wife.

All hopes were dashed when Haley asked, "Who's the man stealing ho?"

Peyton was look everywhere but at Haley while trying to successfully hide the invitations. "Ummm…no one. No one important."

"Yeah, tutor girl, nobody at all" said Brooke while shaking her head furiously.

Brooke and Peyton continued to look at each other with worried faces. Both fearing how Haley would take the news.

Haley noticed that they were fidgeting nervously like they were hiding something. "Okay, you guys are acting weird. More weird than usual. What's up?"

Brooke looked at anywhere but Haley, while Peyton looked at Brooke for some help. Peyton finally caved and decided to just tell her. It's like ripping the band aid off. You have to do it fast for it be the least painful.

Peyton walked over to Haley and gently held her by the shoulders. "Okay Haley, we got some mail today and well…"

So much for the whole band aid theory Peyton thought as she let Haley go and looked at Brooke for a little help.

Brooke broke in, "Yeah, we got some mail from…Nathan."

Silence. Brooke and Peyton hated silence.

Peyton couldn't take it anymore. "Haley, Nathan sent us invitations…to his wedding."

Haley sat there with silent with a far off look. Brooke and Peyton looked at each other and began making mental lists for a girls night in. Ben & Jerry's and chick flicks.

Haley knew she couldn't hide it any longer. So much for looking on the bright side. "Yeah, I know I got one too."

Brooke and Peyton were shocked to say the least. Haley sat there not knowing where to start.

Brooke's eyes filled with anger, and she went full force with anger. "I can't believe that ass of a man sent you, his former wife, love of his life, a wedding invitation! What a jerk! Haley, I will gladly kick his ass for you. That little twit of a fiance too. Granted, I don't even know her, but it doesn't matter tutor girl because you're one of my very best friends, and I am ready to open a can of whoop ass…"

Haley and Peyton were watching Brooke talk a mile a minute until finally Haley grabber her flailing arms and stopped her rant.

"Brooke! Hey stop! Thank you, but that won't be necessary." said Haley with a warm smile that didn't quite reach her eyes like her smiles always do.

A concerned Peyton walked over to Haley, and put her arms around Haley. "Hales, are you okay?"

Brooke and Peyton looked at Haley like they were ready to pick up the pieces of her shattered being.

To be honest, the invitation knocked me off my feet, but I was dealing with it as best as she can. "I'm okay you guys. As good as can be expected when one hears from their ex-husband slash former-love-of-my-life about his upcoming wedding to another woman all through a stupid white envelope with stupid pearl trim and stupid fancy cursive writing."

I can tell that Brooke and Peyton knew otherwise from my long winded response about the décor of Nathan's wedding invitation.

Brooke grabbed Haley's hand and sent her a look of sympathy. "Tutor girl, we're here for you no matter what. To talk, to binge on ice cream and dumb romantic comedies."

"Yeah, Hales, we love you, so don't shut us out. If you're hurting, we're here okay?" said Peyton.

Haley gave them a tight smile. "Thanks guys. Don't worry, I won't shut you out. I just found out so I'm a little shocked to say the least."

"I think that I'm gonna take a walk for a bit, if you guys don't mind, alone?" said Haley

Brooke looked like she was gonna go with me no matter what but Peyton saw the look in my eyes and intervened.

"Yeah, no problem, Hales." replied Peyton before Brooke could get a word in.

I gave a Peyton a look of gratitude, and stepped outside.

When I opened the door, I felt the breeze caress my face, and tears pierced the back of my eyes.

AN: Okay, well here's the second chapter. Hope you guys like it. :)

Edit: I should clarify that this will EVENTUALLY be naley. I know it doesn't seem that way, but trust me.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I own nothing. All is property of Mark, CW, etc.  
BTW, thanks to all the nice reviews from kutebloo, Jess2303, patto85, & GottaluvNaley! Glad you guys like it so far. :D

**Chapter 3  
**  
The perks of living by the river is this great view. I'm walking along the river walk, and memories are colliding in my mind. Most of them include him.

_Flashback_

_Nathan and I were taking a stroll along the river walk in an attempt to get away from my sister, Taylor. I missed nights like this where it was just us, and the real world didn't exist, if only for a moment._

"_I love the wind. It can be so calming, but so jarring at the same time. It's an amazing force of nature, ya know." I gave Nathan a cheeky smile as he gave me a strange look._

"_Hales, you're such a nerd." said Nathan._

_I gasped, "What? Okay so what I'm a nerd." I added quietly, almost unsure, "You love me anyways."_

_Nathan looked at me deeply and replied in a whisper that I could only hear and feel, "I do."_

_End Flashback_

The real world eventually fought its way back into our world, and that moment felt like lifetime ago.

I find myself walking by familiar haunts of my past. Something stops me. This ache in my heart. I laugh to myself because I find myself standing in front of a picnic table by the docks. If I was any other person but myself, it would just be a picnic table by the docks. But I'm still me. And this picnic table is where it all began.

_Flashback_

_I've been waiting for almost a half and hour for Nathan to get here. I swear if he doesn't get here soon, I'm just gonna leave, and our deal is off. Dunzo. Finito. Fin. Okay, I'm sure he's got some excuse. I wouldn't just give up. I'm Haley James. Haley James doesn't give up. So I will sit here for 10 more minutes. Yes, 10 more minu-_

_Before I can finish my thoughts, Nathan takes a seat in front of me practically out of breath._

"_Breakfast of champions. Want some?" Nathan offers with Cracker Jack box in hand._

"_You're late." replied Haley, ignoring his offer._

_Nathan sighed and almost looked like he actually felt bad for making me wait. I almost believed him too._

"_Uh, please be a cheat sheet." said Nathan as he opened the cracker jack box. He pulled out the prize that comes with every box. It was a tacky pink bracelet._

_Nathan held out said, tacky pink bracelet to her. "It's for you." _

_I looked up, caught off guard, and saw what he was offering. My girly instincts were telling me to gush and accept his token of affection because he is kind of cute in that arrogant jock kind of way. That's besides the point because my best friend instincts were screaming at me to do the complete opposite._

"_Stop it" replied Haley._

"_Come on" implored Nathan._

_He grabbed my hand, and I felt electric. I felt alive, and it scared me. Which is why I ignored it._

_Haley sighed, but accepted his present in hopes that they'll get started with the tutoring session._

_Nathan looked at me like he could really see me for a second, and I shivered. "Don't say I never gave you anything." _

_End Flashback_

When he uttered those words to me, it was like they burned into my soul. I could never say he gave me nothing because he actually gave me everything I could have ever wished for.

As I keep walking, I'm at a door that I've found myself in front of thousands of times before. Behind this door is a person I could count on no matter what. Behind this door, there's no judgment, only truth and compassion. Behind this door is my very best friend.

After I knock on the door, I try to think about what to say, what to ask, but the door opens.

Lucas answered the door surprised. "Haley."

"Hey Luke"

AN: Sorry the chapters are so short, I'll try to make them longer. I'm working on the next couple chapters right now. :)


	4. Chapter 4

AN: I own nothing. All is property of Mark, CW, etc.

AND flashbacks are in italics :)

"Did you know?" Haley asked immediately.

Lucas couldn't answer at first. He looked like he was trying to find the right words. There was my answer. There was that ache again.

Haley tried to look at Lucas in the eyes, but Lucas was looking anywhere else but her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Haley…I was going to, I swear, but I just didn't know how. I kept putting it off, and here we are" replied Luke.

Haley began to pace back and forth, almost frantically.

"I'm your best friend, Lucas. I was your best friend before he was your brother. You could have given me a warning. Instead, I go to check the mail, and there's a wedding invitation addressed to me!"

Lucas walked over to Haley to stop her pacing, and to calm her down

"Hales, I AM your best friend. I'm so sorry, you have to believe that I didn't do this on purpose. I just…didn't know how to tell you."

Lucas looked like he killed my puppy. And I know that he would never do this to me on purpose.

"Dude, I didn't even know he was sending you one. I thought he just wanted your address so that he could invite Peyton and Brooke."

"Why didn't you just tell me he was getting serious with this Lucy, girl. At least I wouldn't have been so surprised, Luke."

Luke gave me his best puppy dog face, and I am such a sucker for his dumb puppy face. "I know, and you know I'm sorry. This whole wedding thing, seems so sudden. Why would even he send you an invite, anyways? I mean that's pretty awkward, right?"

I looked away. "Yeah, awkward." I paused for a second. "Listen, Luke, I've never told anyone this, but a couple years ago, I saw Nathan at Stanford."

* * *

_The roar of the crowd was intense to say the least. I haven't been to a basketball game in two years. Partly, because I've been too busy studying, but mostly, because basketball always reminded me of him._

_I couldn't stay away tonight. It was one of the most anticipated games of the season. All the sports nuts on campus were buzzing about it. Stanford vs. Duke. I was excited for it but for a completely different reason._

_It was the end of the game, and I was waiting outside the team locker rooms. I wanted to talk to him and see him. Just breathe him in. It's been two years, but it has felt like eternity. _

"_Haley?"_

_I turned around surprised, elated, scared, and every other emotion that I could think of. "Nathan!" I didn't realize I had such a big smile on my face._

"_I didn't know you still kept up with basketball games."_

_I was nervous. Here goes nothing. "Actually, I wanted to see you. I was wondering if you had time to get some coffee and catch up?" He looked like he was gonna say no, and I think I'm gonna throw up._

_Nathan was silent for a beat. "Sure, I have some time." He gave me that infamous Scott smirk, and I felt butterflies._

_We were sitting across from each other in this retro diner. I was staring at him. Memorizing how the lines on his face had changed. He looks older, more worn. All I want to do is hold him close and never let go._

_I should have a little more pride than this, but after two years without him, it all fades away. The anger, the hurt, the sadness. It's gone because he's here with me now._

"_Haley?"_

"_Uh yeah, sorry, I spaced out."_

_Nathan played with sugar packets, and it made me feel better to see that he was just as nervous as me. "It's cool. I asked what you've been up to since I've last seen you."_

"_School's been good. I've met some great friends here too. It's not like home though." I paused for a second. "I miss it." He eyes shot up to mine because he knew that I didn't mean home._

_He looked down again. "I miss it too, Hales."_

_I took this as a sign. A sign of hope? Maybe even a new beginning._

_I, tentatively, grabbed his hand with my own. He didn't pull away. "I know it's been a long time. I know we came here to just catch up, but I can't sit here and not be honest with you. I miss you, Nathan. I miss us."_

_He didn't say anything, so I continued. "I signed the divorce papers because I didn't want to hold you back anymore, and you pushed me away. I understand though. It hurt, but I understand that you were scared and angry."_

_Nathan finally looked at me. "I was a jerk to you, Haley. It's not something I'm proud of. I'm not proud of way I pushed you out of my life like you didn't exist. It was wrong. I'm sorry."_

"_I forgave you a long time ago, Nathan." Haley paused to contain herself. "I just want to know if there's a chance for us again. I'll be honest. I never stopped loving you. I know I never will."_

"_I will always love you, Haley. Always. But it's been two years, and we live on opposite sides of country. I'm working towards the NBA, and you're doing well in school."_

_I pulled my hand away. The polite rejection, a little too much. Nathan noticed this because he grabbed my hand, stroking it with his thumb._

"_Hey, I'm not saying, no. I just…I don't want to say yes, either because I don't want to hurt you again. I want you in my life, and I want to see where that goes. If it works out, then that would be amazing, but if it doesn't I want us to be able to stay friends."_

_He was looking at me expectantly. I wanted to yell and fight. I wanted to tell him that he was just scared because I can see that look in his eyes. I wanted to tell him that leaving him was the worst mistake of my life. I just want to be with him. The thing is I know Nathan Scott, and when he's scared, he doesn't like being pushed. So I resign myself with his polite offer of friendships and what ifs. I'd rather have him in my life as just my friend, than not at all. Not at all hurts too much._

"_It's not exactly the answer I was hoping for, but I've missed you, Nathan. I want you in my life. If you need me to wait for you, I'll wait forever then."_

_He smiles at me, and I smile back. He was worth waiting for._

* * *

"Woah. Intense. So you guys have been keeping in touch, then?"

I looked away trying to hide my glassy eyes.

"We did for a few months, but he was really busy with basketball. He just stopped calling, until one day, he called and said, 'It's too hard.'" Haley let out a sharp breath as Lucas wrapped his arms around her.

A few tears slipped out, and I hate crying. "I thought we were getting back to that place again. He was opening up to me. It was comfortable, like before. It sucks though because I know he was just scared. I know it, Lucas."

"I'm sorry, Hales."

"I tried fight him on it, ya know. I told him that I wouldn't give up on us. That I would wait. He just said he wanted to be friends, that it was easier that way." Haley paused to dry her tears. "I asked him if that was what he really wanted. He said yes. And like I said, I'd rather be his friend than nothing at all."

Lucas kissed the top of her head, and held her close. "Well, that explains your invitation."

"Yeah." A broken sob escaped my mouth, and it's finally hit me. He's getting married. "I thought he would come back, Luke. We were supposed to be forever." I sucked my breath in trying to control myself.

Lucas pulled me into a full hug. "Haley, I'm sorry. If I could fix this, you know I would. You're my best friend. You were my best friend before he was my brother, and I will gladly kick his ass for you." He gave me a cheeky smile.

I couldn't help but laugh as I rested my head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Luke"

He handed me some tissues so that I could blow my nose and wipe my tears. I'm so grateful for Lucas. He's the best, best friend a girl could wish for.

"Hales, he's coming home tomorrow…with her. They're staying with Deb to plan the rest of wedding." He paused like there was more. "And…heaskedmetobehisbestman,andIsaidyes."

There he goes with those puppy dog eyes again. I'm not angry though, I know they're still brothers.

I smiled at Lucas to assure him that I wasn't pissed. "Hey, I get it. Don't worry. I'll be okay. I have to be."

"So are you gonna see him?"

I took a deep breath, and knew what I had to do. "Yeah, I have to. I just have to talk to him. Ask him why."

"I'm here for you, Hales."

I was leaving to go home and prepare myself for tomorrow's homecoming. I sent Luke a small smile. "I know. Thanks."

AN: Okay, this one was a little longer than the last one. Hope you guys like. Hopefully this chapter explains some questions. The next chapter will be from Nathan's POV.

Well, I just want to say thanks to those who reviewed so far. All your suggestions are very helpful, considering it's my first story. Honestly, I have a clear idea where this story is going, but I'm really writing as I'm going along when it comes to specific moments, especially Naley ones. I definitely have an ending planned out already. Just be patient. :)


	5. Author's Note

A/N: Wow, I can't believe I just abandoned this story. Seriously guys, I'm really sorry especially those who added this story to their alerts and reviewed. Obviously, real life got in the way and I just put this to the side. I have also gotten involved in the Twilight fandom soooo I've been consumed with the books, fic, etc etc. lol. So, I still have a soft spot for Nathan/Haley and OTH. I also wasn't lying when I said that I had this story's ending planned out. I also have the majority of Chapter 5 written and almost ready. What I kind of need to know is if anyone is still interested in this story. Let me know, and if no one isn't I'm just going to delete it, but if you are I will try my hardest to complete it. I have to warn you the updates will definitely not be frequent, but they'll happen. Sorry again guys!! :D

P.S. I'm sorry for the fake out alert chapter thing lol. I hate these, but I felt it was necessary. :/


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